


Funeral Rights

by SecondSilk



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Community: h50_flashfic, Future Fic, Gen, Grief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-14
Updated: 2011-05-14
Packaged: 2017-10-19 10:25:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/199822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecondSilk/pseuds/SecondSilk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's nothing to be happy about, but there are people to be thankful for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Funeral Rights

**Author's Note:**

> Written for H50 Flashfic's Beginnings and Endings challenge.

Steve's house is full of people Danny doesn't recognise and doesn't care to know. He's commandeered a position near the door where he's actually a little out of the way of the swirl of people. He can surreptitiously lean against the wall, save his energy for maintaining his composure.

He and Rachel agued for three days about Grace was going to wear. They went around in circles, one of them changing their mind as soon as they had convinced the other. Now, Danny thinks that it was a ploy on Rachel's part, a distraction from all the preparations, something to capture Danny's attention from the thought of shooting someone.

Rachel's on the other side of the living room, chatting to Mary about something. It doesn't look like Mary's paying much attention, but Rachel doesn't seem to mind and Mary seems grateful. Danny's never liked Rachel quite as much he does right now.

Mary had insisted on having a lot of food, had gone a little crazy about it, if Danny were going to be frank. She'd tried to explain the importance of proper catering last night when they'd decided that drinking in each other's company would be better than each of them drinking alone. Danny doesn't remember any of the particulars, but he's grateful to have a plate of food: to have something to do with his hands, something to concentrate on more than not shooting anyone.

He's already had to accept condolences from the Governor as though he was anything more than Steve's reluctant partner, as though he wanted more from Steve than half a minute's hesitation. He eats a meatball.

"Danno."

It's Grace, looking up at him solemnly. Danny manages a smile for her.

"It's okay to cry, Danno."

"I know," he says. It's less okay to break down completely in front of one's boss. Danny doesn't remember how to stop crying, so it's better to simply not start. His throat is too thick with tears to explain that to Grace.

Grace's dress is a blue not quite dark enough to be called navy. Danny's relieved that Rachel didn't go with black in the end; Steve doesn't deserve that.

The thought's kind of ambiguous, but Danny doesn't bother to chase down how he actually feels. He hasn't shot anyone, or broken any bones (his or anyone else's), or done anything illegal at all since he woke up in the hospital. He's not going to break his streak here.

He kisses Grace on the cheek.

"I just have to go outside," he says and points her towards Rachel and Mary.

Danny heads out the front, away from the crowds on the lana'i, who are listening to Kono's most ridiculous stories about Steve. Outside it's as unreasonably warm and sunny as ever. Danny clings to the familiar sense of dissociation the weather always brings him.

Chin Ho interrupts his unvoiced rant barely three minutes later. Danny wonders whether someone ratted him out. He might be grateful.

"The Governor's going to want you to head Five-0," Chin says.

"You should do it," Danny tells him.

Chin doesn't reply, just waits until Danny feel compelled to elaborate.

"It isn't my island."

Chin allows that this is so with a nod. "Could be," he says. "If you wanted."

"Yeah? Yeah. Maybe eventually." That's about the limit of what Dnny can commit to right now.

Chin squeezes his shoulder. "Take care, brah."

And then Chin goes back inside, leaving Danny in Steve's driveway, trusting Danny to stand up on his own. Danny thinks that he might even be able to do it, with these people around him.


End file.
